Question

The incentive scheme that rules sumo is intricate and extraordinarily powerful. Each wrestler maintains a ranking that affects every slice of life; how much money he makes, how large an entourage he carries, how much he gets to eat, sleep, and otherwise take advantage of his success. The sixty-six highest-ranked wrestlers in Japan, comprising the makuuchi and juryo divisions, make up the sumo elite. A wrestler near the top of this elite pyramid may earn millions and is treated like royalty. Any wrestler in the top forty earns at least $170,000 a year. The seventieth-ranked wrestler in Japan, meanwhile, earns only $15,000 a year. Life isn’t very sweet outside the elite. Low-ranked wrestlers must tend to their superiors, preparing their meals and cleaning their quarters and even soaping up their hardest-to-reach body parts. So ranking is everything.

A wrestler’s ranking is based on his performance in the elite tournaments that are held six times a year. Each wrestler has fifteen bouts per tournament, one per day over fifteen consecutive days. If he finishes the tournament with a winning record (eight victories or better), his ranking will rise. If he has a losing record, his ranking falls. If it falls far enough, he is booted from the elite rank entirely. The eighth victory in any tournament is therefore critical, the difference between promotion and demotion; it is roughly four times as valuable in the rankings as the typical victory.

Based on the excerpt, which of the following statements best summarizes the incentive system that ranks sumo wrestlers?
The incentive system penalizes elite sumo wrestlers.
The incentive system rewards elite sumo wrestlers.
The incentive system treats all sumo wrestlers equally.
The incentive system treats all sumo wrestlers like royalty.

Answer 1

Based on the excerpt, the statement which best summarizes the incentive system that ranks sumo wrestlers is:

B. The incentive system rewards elite sumo wrestlers.

Step-by-step explanation:

An incentive system is a system used to motivate people to perform better. Money in the form of a bonus, for instance, can be given to employees who have performed at a higher level than others.

In the passage we are analyzing here, the incentive system for sumo wrestlers works by dividing them into different ranks. The ones who rank better - the elite - are treated like royalty. On the other hand, the ones who rank low are supposed to clean, cook for, and even bathe the elite players. As we can see, there is a clear distinction in the way they are treated. Therefore, we can safely say that letter B is the best option:

The incentive system rewards elite sumo wrestlers.